Air treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

An elongate hollow casing of the type including a spray-type air washer unit and a water-removing eliminator unit, wherein the eliminator unit includes a plurality of spaced louvres extending vertically across the longitudinal axis of the housing for separating water from the air passing therethrough and discharging the water downwardly from the lower ends of the louvres. A base plate is attached to the lower edge of the front portion of the eliminator unit forming a secondary air outlet in the bottom rear portion thereof, the base plate including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion extending to a point beneath the surface of the water in the bottom of the casing. The secondary air outlet imparts a downward vector on the air passing through the eliminator unit tending to assist the discharge of water deposited thereon, and a baffle means extends downwardly from the lower rear edge of the eliminator unit and includes a trough along the lower edge thereof for collecting water discharged from the louvres and preventing reentrainment thereof in the air passing through said secondary air outlet.

United States Patent 1151 3,

Stockford [451 Sept. 19, 1972 [54] AIR TREATMENT APPARATUS [57] ABSTRACT [72] Inventor: W|ll1am F. Stockford, P.O. Box An elongate hollow casing f the type induding a 135l'SahSbmy'N-C 28144 spray-type air washer unit and a water-removing [22] Fil d; J l 9, 1970 eliminator unit, wherein the eliminator unit includes a plurality of spaced louvres extending vertically across [211 App! 53405 the longitudinal axis of the housing for separating v water from the air passing therethrough and discharg- 52 us. c1.....-,; ..55/257, 55/440 ing the water downwardly m the lower ends of the 51 1m. 01. ..B0ld 47/00 louvres. A base Plate is attached to the lower g of [58] Field ol Search ..55/257,440 the from Portion Of the l minat r unit forming a secondary air outlet in the bottom rear portion [56] References Cited thereof, the base plate including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion extending to a point UNITED STATES PATENTS beneath the surface of the water in the bottom of the 734,818 7/1903 Cazin et al. ..55/440 x eeeihg- The Secondary air Outlet imparts a downward 2,153,267 4/1939 Morse ..55/257 x vector on the air passing through the eliminator unit 2,554,428 5/1951 Swearingen ..55/257x tending to assist the discharge of water deposited 3,348,466 10/1967 Lane et al ..55/257 x thereon, and e baffle means extends downwardly from Primary Examiner-Robert L. Lindsay, Jr. Attorney-Hunt, Heard & Rhodes the lower rear edge of the eliminator unit and includes a trough along the lower edge thereof for collecting water discharged from the louvres and preventing reentrainment thereof in the air passing through said secondary air outlet.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 19 1922 FIG. 3

INVENTOR WILLIAM F. STOCKF'ORD BY @M IW AIR TREATMENT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to water treatment apparatus particularly but not necessarily exclusively of the type including air washer and water eliminator units mounted in sequential association with each other upon the roofs of industrial or other buildings for the treatment of air circulated through such buildings.

In conventional apparatus of the aforesaid general type the eliminator unit may and frequently does comprise a plurality of sinuously curved and/or corrugated eliminator blades or plates which extend upwardly in generally parallel and mutually-spaced relationship to each other from a relatively large water collection reservoir surrounding the lower portion of such unit or from a perforated base plate mounted between the lower portion of the unit and the water customarily standing in the reservoir. Apparatus so constructed is less than satisfactory in several respects. The water contained within the reservoirs has considerable weight, which so increases the stresses upon the apparatus and/or supporting building roof as to appreciably increase the necessity for expensive structural reinforcement. ln colder climates, freezing of the water tends to deteriorate the apparatus and necessitates increased maintenance thereof. More frequent maintenance is also required when the water deposited upon the eliminator blades is drained therefrom through a perforated base or floor plate, by reason of the tendency of the perforations within such plate to become blocked or clogged by lint, dirt and like material removed from the air being treated. When this occurs the apparatus should be removed from operation, for disassembly and cleaning, since continued operation thereof would be attended by a severe drop in he efficiency of itseliminator unit. In the latter connection, such efficiency is in many instances poor even when the apparatus is in a clean condition, due to the air undergoing treatment being conducted past the eliminator blades in such a manner as to significantly impede the downward gravity-discharge of the water deposited upon the blades. A portion of such water therefore becomes reentrained within the air discharged from the unit, decreasing the efficiency of its water-eliminating function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in mind, the present invention provides an inexpensive but highly reliable air treatment apparatus not requiring an adjoining reservoir of standing water and including an eliminator unit which is and which remainshighly efficient in operation, without the need for frequent cleaning of its lower portion even under adverse operating conditions such as those wherein the air being treated is laden with lint and dust such as found in textile mills and various other industrial facilities, and which may be advantageously and easily mounted within a common housing and in association with an air washer upon a building roof or at any other desired location.

In the present eliminator unit, which preferably is of the previously discussed type including a plurality of mutually spaced and substantially upright eliminator blades of the general configuration disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,338,035, the water deposited upon such blades is continuously discharged at the bottom of the unit through an unrestricted opening of such large size as to be incapable of becoming clogged or blocked, and the air undergoing treatment is directed through the unit in such a way as to hasten and positively assist movement of the deposited water downwardly of the blades and through such opening. Some of the air undergoing treatment usually passes through such opening with the water. However, such air is required to first traverse a substantial portion of the length of the eliminator blades, is but a small percentage of the main body of air discharged from the units primary air outlet, and is in any event subsequently reunited with the latter. In addition, baffle means of novel construction and placement are provided to minimize the airs reentrainment of previously deposited water during its final passage from the unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aforesaid baffle means comprises an elongate channel member of generally J-shaped cross-sectional configuration. The member is adjustably mounted transversely of the eliminator unit in such a way that its opposite ends are disposed at desired different elevations and its main body portion projects substantially vertically both slightly above and below the units bottom rearward edge, partially and adjustably blocking by its downward projection a passage disposed beneath such edge of the unit and communicating with the opening provided in the bottom thereof. The channel portion of the member extends forwardly beneath the units aforesaid bottom rear edge. Separated water directed to such edge of the unit is restrained and collected by the baffle member and thus prevented from becoming reentrained within the main body of air discharged thereabove or the small quantity of by-passed air discharged through the passage therebelow.

Water collected by the aforesaid channel member flows from the lower end thereof at one side of the eliminator unit and is conducted with other water passing from the units bottom opening to a receiver having a drain through which the water is continuously and immediately discharged. When, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention, an air washer is provided upstream from the eliminator unit, water from the washer is similarly immediately conducted, past an intervening and adjustably mounted water seal, to and through the same drain. Only a relatively small quantity of flowing water is present within the apparatus at any one time during its operation, and at no time does the apparatus contain a pool or reservoir of standing water. The stress, freezing and other problems which such water would otherwise occasion are therefore avoided.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary and partially schematic vertical section taken generally longitudinally through air treatment apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2 through the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the eliminator unit in rear elevation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of end portions of the baffle and water seal members, illustrating the adjustable mounting thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the baffle member.

The'apparatus shown in FIG. 1 generally includes an elongate hollow casing 12 within which a washer unit 14 and water eliminator unit 16 are mounted for sequential treatment of air moved generally longitudinally through casing 12, in the left-to-right direction indicated by the arrows, by fans or blowers (not shown) also forming part of the air-treatment system for the building uponthe roof of which apparatus 10 may conveniently be located. Water supply and drain pipes 18, respectively extend from the bottom of casing 12 adjacent its forward and rearward ends. During operation of apparatus 10 pipe 18 supplies water to the spray-type washer unit 14, which is only schematically shown and may .be of any suitable construction, while pipe 20 continuously drains from the apparatus both the used" wash-water not entrained within the air passing through the washer unit and the water removed from the air during its subsequent passage through eliminator unit 16. ,The bottom wall of casing 12 and uprightplates 22, 24 extending transversely'thereof adjacent the casing opposite ends collectively define water collecting means insuring that all of the aforesaid water is received by and passes through drain 20. Plates 22, 24 and the walls of casing 12 may be formed from relatively thin and inexpensive sheet metal or similar material, since apparatus 10 at no time contains a pool or reservoir of standingwater and therefore is not sub jected to the weight and freezing problems occasioned by the presence of such water.

For reasons of economy, supply pipe 18 and drain pipe 20 might and normally would form part of a closed-loop water system, not shown. Such system would customarily additionally include such components as an accumulator tank, filters, a make-up water source, and one or more pumps, all of which could be disposed in the buildings basement or at any convenient and sheltered location remote from apparatus 10.

Eliminator unit 16 of apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of upright eliminator blades or louvres 26 secured in any suitable manner at their upper ends to the top wall of casing 12 and extending downwardly and longitudinally in mutually spaced and substantially parallel relationship to each other and to the side walls of casing 12. Blades 26 may be of any of various known constructions, such as that disclosed in U. S. Pat. 'No. 3,338,035, suitable for removing entrained water from the air passed longitudinally through unit 16 between its forwardly (leftwardly in FIG. 1) facing air inlet 28 and its rearwardly (rightwardly in FIG. 1) facing primary air outlet 30.

Unit 16 terminates above the bottom wall of casing 12, and a base plate 32 extending between the ,side walls of the casing and supporting the lower edges of blades 26 prevents the egress of air and water from that portion of the bottom of unit 16 adjacent air inlet 28. Plate 32 extends longitudinally only approximately one-third of the length of unit 16, however, such that a large unrestricted secondary opening or outlet 34 is present in that remaining portion of the units bottom adjacent air outlet 30. An inclined plate 36, preferably formed as shown integrally with base plate 32, slopes downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, underlying opening 34 and defining therewith a passage 38 having an outlet disposed beneath the bottom rear edge portion 40 of unit 16. Plate 36 terminates above the bottom wall of casing 12 and forwardly of drain 20 in a down-turned flange 36, to which an elongate strip-like element 42, defining a water seal, is adjustably secured as by means of bolts 44. Bolts 44 project through upright slots 45 and into threaded bores respectively provided in element 42 and flange 36, so that upon loosening of the bolts the vertical spacing between element 42 and the bottom wall of casing 12 may be adjustably varied as desired.

Baffle means, preferably in the form of an elongate channel member 46 of generally .l-shaped cross-sectional configuration, extends the full width of eliminator unit 16 adjacent edge portion 40 thereof. Member 46 is mounted for vertical adjustment at its opposite ends by bolts 48 which extend through vertical slots 50 and threaded bores 52 respectively provided within member 46 and mounting brackets 51 (one-of which is shown in FlG. 3,) projecting inwardly from the side walls of casing 12. The adjustment of member is such that, as shown, its opposite ends lie at slightly different. elevations and its substantially vertical main.

body portion 46' projects both slightly above and below the adjacent bottom rear edge 40 of unit 16. The downward projection of main body portion 46' of element 46 extends into and partially blocks the outlet of the passage 38 defined between inclined plate 36 and distance rearwardly of unit 16, and preferably is pro- I vided with an L-shaped flange 22' along its upper edge.

When apparatus 10 is not in operation, it contains no water whatsoever. During operation of the apparatus, water is supplied to washer unit 14 via supply pipe 18. Most of such water, after washing the air passed from left to right by unit 14, falls to the bottom wall of casing 12 and immediately flows therealong to and through drain 20. The elevation of water seal 42 is adjusted such that -the same projects into the aforesaid flow and thus prevents any of the air undergoing treatment from being bypassed beneath eliminator unit 16. All of such air therefore enters inlet opening 28 of eliminator unit 16, and the majority of it passes through the full length of the eliminator unit and is discharged from primary air outlet 30 thereof. in passing through the unit, water is of course removed from the air by blades 26 and is deposited on the blades. Plate 32 insures that none of the air passes through less than at least approximately one-third of the longitudinal extent of unit 16. However, after traversing the aforesaid distance, a relatively small part of the air introduced into unit 16 passes through its bottom opening 34 and the passage 38 communicating with such opening, imparting a downward vector to the air flow in at least the lower portion of unit 16. This downward air flow significantly assists and volume of the water flow are both greatest along the lower portions of blades 26, the aforesaid assistance or added impetus given to the waters downward movement is not limited to only the lower portions of the blades. The more rapid movement of the water along and from the blades lower portions so clears the same as to facilitate downward movement of water upon the upper blade portions thereabove, and thus minimizes the backing-up of water which might otherwise progress upwardly along the entire vertical extents of blades 26.

The major portion of the water upon the lower portions of blades 26 passes directly therefrom through the large and unrestricted opening 34 and into passage 38. That water is conducted in a smooth and even flow, by and along inclined plate 36, to join the washer water flowing past water-seal 42 and into drain 20. There is a tendency, however, for an appreciable portion of the water upon blades 26 to be directed toward bottom rear edge portion 40 of unit 16. Baffle member 46 reduces the possibility of an undesirable amount of such water being entrained in the air discharged from unit 16 both above and belowsuch edge portion thereof. It achieves this result in several ways. First, it creates adjacent edge portion 40 an area of increased air pressure having a flow-diverting effect. Secondly, that portion of member 46 which projects upwardly from edge 40 of unit 16 physically blocks the passage of water through that portion of primary outlet overlaid by and contiguous with member 46. The blocked water impinging upon the forward or leftward face of member 46 must move downwardly thereof along such face. In like manner, that portion of member 46 projecting downwardly beneath the units edge portion 40 physically blocks water descending therefrom which might otherwise tend to be swept rearwardly or to the right with that minor portion of air exiting from passage 38, which water also impinges upon and moves downwardly of the forward or leftward face of member 46. But for the provision of channel portion 46" of baffle member 46, it will be appreciated that the foregoing could produce a curtain of water descending from member 46 and across the outlet opening of passage 38. This would undesirably resaturate the small quantity of air discharged from passage 38 and subsequently reunited with the main body of air passing from primary air outlet 30. Forwardly-extending channel portion 46" of member 46 prevents such a result by continuously collecting the water descending along theforward face of main body portion 46 of member 46 and conducting it to the lowermost end thereof. The water discharged from such end of member 46 flows smoothly along the adjacent side of passage 38 and plate 36 with the other water moving to drain 20.

The relatively small quantity of air discharged from the outlet of passage 38, and shielded as aforesaid during such discharge, is caused by plate 22 to subsequently move upwardly and be re-united with the main body of air passing through primary outlet 30 of unit 16. Forwardly-extending flange 22' of plate 22 assists in removing from the upwardly directed air any particles of water that might be still contained therein. Plate 22 is spaced a sufficient distance rearwardly of unit 16 to effect such re-uniting of the primary and subsidiary flows smoothly and gently, and without in any way impeding the passage of air from outlet 30. The

rearward spacing of plate 22 from unit 16 also insures that any water particles blown a short distance rearwardly from outlet opening 30 will be collected and discharged through drain 20, with the other water passing through such drain.

Once the mountings of water seal 42 and baffle member 46 have been suitably adjusted for a given set of operating conditions, apparatus 10 affords highly efficient operation over a prolonged period of time with virtually no required maintenance. The elevation of seal 42 is adjusted such that the same projects only slightly beneath the flow of water from washer unit 14, thus minimizing the depth and weight of water contained within apparatus 10- during its operation. When the apparatus is not in operation, it of course contains no standing water whatsoever. The adjustable mounting of baffle member 46 permits convenient variation of its inclination to insure that all water received within channel portion 46" flows longitudinally thereof and is discharged from the members lower end, Translatory vertical adjustment of member 46 is also easily effected, and permits the amount of air by-passed through passage 38 to be reduced to the minimum flow still affording the desired assisting of downward movement of water along and from blades 26. For best results, translatory adjustment of baffle member 46 should be made while apparatus 10 is in operation and while a flow of water is passing over inclined plate 36, since the distance between the surface of such water flow and the lower portion of member 46 is more significant than the distance to the surface of the plate itself.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically shown and described, this was for pur-- poses of illustration only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being in accordance with the following claims.

lclaim: 1. An air treatment apparatus comprising: a. an elongate hollow casing having a spray-type air washer unit and a water-removing eliminator unit positioned therein, said eliminator unit having an air inlet and positioned downstream from said air washer unit and including a plurality of spaced louvres extending vertically across the longitudinal axis of said housing for separating water from the air passing through a primary outlet, the water being discharged downwardly from the lower ends of the louvres;

. water collecting means beneath said washer unit and said eliminator unit for collecting and continuously draining water discharged therefrom; v

. a base plate means attached to the lower edge of said eliminator unit toward the front portion thereof forming a secondary air outlet in the bottom of said eliminator unit in the rear portion thereof and further including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion extending therefrom to a point beneath the surface of the water in said water collecting means, said secondary air outlet imparting a downward vector on the air passing through said eliminator unit tending to assist the discharge of water deposited thereon; and

d. baffle means extending downwardly from 'the lower rear edge of said eliminator unit to a point spaced from the inclined portion of said plate and including a trough along the lower edge thereof for collecting water discharged from said louvres and preventing reentrainment thereof in the air passing through said secondary air outlet.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said base plate spans the bottom of said eliminator unit forwardly of said secondary outlet therein.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said base plate spans approximately one-third of the distance between air inlet and said primary air outlet of said eliminator unit, and said secondary outlet spans substantially all of the remainder of the bottom ,of said eliminator unit.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the inclined portion of said base plate defines a passage underlying said secondary outlet in the bottom of said eliminator unit, said passage communicating with said secondary outlet and for discharging a small quantity of air therefrom.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said baffle means extends along substantially the entire width of said eliminator unit.

' lecting means includes a drain therein for receiving 6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said baffle means water from said eliminator unit and for passing the same through said drain.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said water collecting means projects in a rearward direction beyond said primary air outlet of said unit and extends transversely the full width thereof for the reception of water particles passing from said unit through said primary air outlet.

10. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said water collecting means during operation of said unit conducts a flow of water from said washer unit beneath said eliminator unit and to said'drain, and further including a wall means depending from the lowermost extremity of the inclined portion of said base plate, said wall being adjustably mounted to said inclined portion for vertical adjustment into the water conducted bysaid water collecting means from said washer unit. 

1. An air treatment apparatus comprising: a. an elongate hollow casing having a spray-type air washer unit and a water-removing eliminator unit positioned therein, said eliminator unit having an air inlet and positioned downstream from said air washer unit and including a plurality of spaced louvres extending vertically across the longitudinal axis of said housing for separating water from the air passing through a primary outlet, the water being discharged downwardly from the lower ends of the louvres; b. water collecting means beneath said washer unit and said eliminator unit for collecting and continuously draining water discharged therefrom; c. a base plate means attached to the lower edge of said eliminator unit toward the front portion thereof forming a secondary air outlet in the bottom of said eliminator unit in the rear portion thereof and further including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion extending therefrom to a point beneath the surface of the water in said water collecting means, said secondary air outlet imparting a downward vector on the air passing through said eliminator unit tending to assist the discharge of water deposited thereon; and d. baffle means extending downwardly from the lower rear edge of said eliminator unit to a point spaced from the inclined portion of said plate and including a trough along the lower edge thereof for collecting water discharged from said louvres and preventing reentrainment thereof in the air passing through said secondary air outlet.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said base plate spans the bottom of said eliminator unit forwardly of said secondary outlet therein.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said base plate spans approximately one-third of the distance between air inlet and said primary air outlet of said eliminator unit, and said secondary outlet spans substantially all of the remainder of the bottom of said eliminator unit.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the inclined portion of said base plate defines a passage underlying said secondary outlet in the bottom of said eliminator unit, said passage communicating with said secondary outlet and for discharging a small quantity of air therefrom.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said baffle means extends along substantially the entire width of said eliminator unit.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said baffle means comprises an elongate member having a generally J-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by a substantially vertical main body portion and an inturned channel portion, said member being mounted with its opposite ends at different elevations and with said channel portion thereof extending forwardly beneath said bottom rear edge of said unit for conducting water received therein to one side of said passage.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 6, including means mounting said elongate baffle member for adjustment of its elevation and its inclination.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said water collecting means includes a drain therein for receiving water from said eliminator unit and for passing the same through said drain.
 9. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said water collecting means projects in a rearward direction beyond said primary air outlet of said unit and extends transversely the full width thereof for the reception of water particles passing from said unit through said primary air outlet.
 10. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said water collecting meanS during operation of said unit conducts a flow of water from said washer unit beneath said eliminator unit and to said drain, and further including a wall means depending from the lowermost extremity of the inclined portion of said base plate, said wall being adjustably mounted to said inclined portion for vertical adjustment into the water conducted by said water collecting means from said washer unit. 